Is Co-Location for You? - written by Rick Martin

What is Co-location?
Colocation is a hosting service that an increasing number of businesses choose. By using a colocation service, your firm is able to free up valuable internal resources because your company's web server isn't hogging up bandwidth or anything else - it's residing safely in a data centre with protected access to the internet and power.

When you opt to co-locate your server, you'll take the box to live in one of the racks your chosen hosting company has at their facility. You configure the machine, manage it and can access it remotely with ease. The co-location provider keeps the server secure against power outages, and also provides an element of physical security for the box.

Companies that can reap the greatest rewards from co-location are those who need a larger, dynamic web presence but lack the internal resources to run the requisite server. Web-savvy bloggers and those with large personal websites might feel constrained by traditional web hosting packages, and for these people a colocation package is well worth considering.

Co-location Drawbacks
There is a downside to just about everything, and colocation is no exception. Having said that, the common drawbacks to using a colocation service are relatively few. For some firms, the price of co-location versus traditional web hosting is simply too steep. For others, the greatest downside to colocation lies in finding a relatively local co-location provider.

Co-location Benefits
For companies considering colocating a server or two, there are a number of advantages. Examples include: lower-cost bandwidth than you could manage for your office building, backup generators provide power for colocated servers in even the worst conditions, you're able to leave the server up and running during relocation or renovations, and you have the peace of mind of knowing your machines are secure.

Other perks to using a colocation provider are largely convenience based. Because you own the hardware, you can upgrade it whenever you feel the need. Similarly, if you need different software on the box, there's no nagging your hosting provider - you just buy it, install it and get the job done.
Companies that can reap the greatest rewards from co-location are those who need a larger, dynamic web presence but lack the internal resources to run the requisite server. Web-savvy bloggers and those with large personal websites might feel constrained by traditional web hosting packages, and for these people a colocation package is well worth considering.

Co-location Drawbacks
There is a downside to just about everything, and colocation is no exception. Having said that, the common drawbacks to using a colocation service are relatively few. For some firms, the price of co-location versus traditional web hosting is simply too steep. For others, the greatest downside to colocation lies in finding a relatively local co-location provider.

Co-location Benefits
For companies considering colocating a server or two, there are a number of advantages. Examples include: lower-cost bandwidth than you could manage for your office building, backup generators provide power for colocated servers in even the worst conditions, you're able to leave the server up and running during relocation or renovations, and you have the peace of mind of knowing your machines are secure.

Other perks to using a colocation provider are largely convenience based. Because you own the hardware, you can upgrade it whenever you feel the need. Similarly, if you need different software on the box, there's no nagging your hosting provider - you just buy it, install it and get the job done.